Powerless (Book 1): Powerless (15 page)

Lee
took
strength
from
this.
He
didn’t
need
a
shrouded
ability
to
be
a
man. The
definition
of
what
made
him
good
and
complete
was
not
what
was
reflected
out;
rather
what
was
reflected
in.
Knowing
the
measure
of
a
man
was
being
able
to
face
the
world
head
on
and
not
hide
away
or
complain
when
it
knocks
you
on
your
ass.
From
then
on
Lee
would
face
anything
the
world
could
throw
at
him
head
on
and
not
hide
away,
all
the
while
keeping
his
secret.

CHAPTER SEVEN

When
Lee
finished
high
school
he
achieved
an
average
grade
and
subsequently
attended
an
average
college
where
he
got
an
average
degree.
But this average life was all he strove for, knowing that any undue attention would cause problems, but continuing to stay under the radar for what would probably be his entire life was exhausting. Lee needed a challenge. He wanted to really work for something that he could look at with pride. He wanted Tom and his father to be proud of him and not just because they loved him. Not just because they had to. He carried around a constant feeling of dissatisfaction that niggled at him, no matter what he did and it was only getting worse.

After
leaving
college
Lee
began
working
in
the
Post
Newspaper
as
a
junior
editor
on
the
news desk,
allowing
him
to
feed
his
appetite
for
information.
His
main
role
was
to
read
though
stories
submitted
by
journalists
and
make
sure
they
were
both
accurate
and
correct.
With
this
Lee
was
able
to
expand
his
already
impressive
mind
learning
stories
of
heroism
and
villainous
misdoings. The inspiration he found in these stories only served to increase his belief that there must be more to his life; there needed to be more than just flying under the radar of the powers that be.

Although
there
was
peace
for
the
most
part,
there
was
still
an
undercurrent
of
crime
that
wasn’t
really
seen
in
everyday
life, the fact of which Lee knew all too well from his encounter with Jimmy.
This
tide
of
crime
mostly
came
from
underground
clubs
where
men
tested
their
might
against
each
other
for
venture
and
position
within
the
resurgence
of
an
elite
spate
of
crime
bosses,
who
emerged
when
the
borders
were
opened
up
between
the
two
governments.

They
viewed
the
United
New
World
as
an
untapped
territory
where
they
could
make
a
lot
of
money
through
illegal activity,
whilst
remaining
loyal
to
the
Old
World
Alliance.
Newspapers
didn’t
tend
to
print
stories
relating
to
any
negative
societal
activities,
but
given
Lee’s
position
within
the
paper
he
was
privy
to
the
stories
before
they
were
inevitably
pulled
. He
also had the opportunity to
learn
about
business,
economics
and
investments.

On
lonely
nights
he
learned
how
to
trade
the
markets
and
was
very
successful
at
it.
Finally he had found a challenge that he could excel at without drawing attention to himself.
He
could
see
the
whole
market
and
account
for
variables
and
political
factors.
It
nearly
became
like
a
game
to
him,
like
one
his
father
would
have
given
him
years
before.
He learned
to
read
the
information
before
him
and
make
logical
decisions
on
the
outcome
of
market
investment.
He set
up
ghost
companies
so
that
the
money
trail
couldn’t
be
linked
back
to
him
and
by
doing
so
he
gave
himself
a
cushion
of
security
that
would
help
keep
him
financially
secure
for
the
rest
of
his
life,
making
sure
he could
keep
up
his
job
as
it
helped
feed
his
thirst
for
knowledge
and
helped
him
to
be
seen
as
a
normal
guy.

Tom’s
life
in
contrast
was
rather
different.
Given
the
strength,
training
and
discipline
his
father
instilled
on
him,
he
went
to
join
the
army.
Even
though
there
were
no
wars
of significance,
each
country
maintained
an
army
as
a
deterrent.
As
hidden
capabilities
weren’t
openly
talked
about
within
the
remit
of
a
person’s
application
to
become
a
soldier,
many
soldiers
masked
their
abilities,
opting
rather
to
gain
promotion
through
the
traditional
routes.
This
also
protected
the
soldier
from
being
utilised
as
an
ability,
rather
than
a
person.
Tom
was
one
of
these
soldiers,
but
given
his
upbringing
and
his
awareness
for
the
world
around
him
he
quickly
proved
himself
to be
a
valuable
asset
to
the
army
as
a
reconnaissance
soldier.

Tom even got awarded the medal of valour for his outstanding acts of bravery. On a mission in the forest, Tom was to recon a village where suspected terrorists had kidnapped a bus full of school girls. His mission was simple; get in, identify the presence of the schoolgirls and radio for back up. The village had only one road in or out with a well-built wooden bridge over the village stream making it difficult for unseen entry. With nightfall’s cover Tom waded his way up the stream using the water to cover his scent from the guard dogs until he got to the bridge, where two guards stood with their ever-ready dogs.

In complete silence and darkness Tom rigged the bridge with explosives making pursuit of escaping prisoners and soldiers impossible. The expected time on the mission was ten minutes so Tom set the timer for 15, allowing five minutes to locate the kids and radio back up.

Having placed the final explosive, Tom waded further up stream, found cover and pulled himself out of the stream and began to search the village. Working his way through all the buildings, he hid in shadows, hunting for any signs of the girls or bus. Finding his way round the village Tom discovered a barn hidden to the rear of what appeared to him to be the village church.

Peering in the window, Tom came across the bus the girls were taken from hidden under a tarp. Snatching the radio from his bag, he turned on the radio to break silence and call it in. First Class Sergeant McKay, who was Tom’s sergeant and had come through the academy with him, was to lead the extraction team once Tom confirmed the presence of the hostages. Tom radioed in that he had discovered the bus and continued to search. As he moved to the next building to his horror he spied the extraction team moving in too early, way too early. Tom got back in the radio calling in his mission abort code but he was too late. The extraction team had breached the village. Tom knew the only possibility now to save the hostages was to hope that while the terrorists were busy with the extraction team he could move freely from building to building.

Dashing over and back across the village, he scanned every building as he darted by, trying to locate the captives. One building caught Tom’s attention. The guards on the door did not budge despite all hell breaking loose around them. Flanking from the side, Tom pulled out his gun and shot one in the foot. He collapsed to the ground, crying out as the other guard made ready his weapon, but it was too late. Leaping through the air with full force, Tom struck his knee squarely in the guard’s chest. Landing on top of his crumpled body Tom placed the gun to his head, gripped the trigger and released a round. Tom spun around and fired once more at the other guard still clenching his foot.

Gun cocked, Tom hit the door shoulder first, busting open all locks and most of the door frame as he entered the building.

Nothing, there was nothing in the room. No girls, nothing. Stunned, Tom turned to make his escape when he heard a rustle from inside the building. Spinning around and pointing his gun into the obviously empty room, Tom knew he wasn’t alone. Searching and finding nothing except a sporadic sound of whimpering, he put down his gun and spoke out.